Roope Riski’s overtime goal saved HJK’s Champions League qualification for the second round.
Roope Riski was HJK’s hero as the team continued qualifying for the Champions League. ARCHIVE PHOTO PDO
The HJK management made a panic solution after the opening part of the Champions League qualifier.
The head coach Toni Koskela got a boot, even though the Club had beaten the Northern Irish side Larne 1–0.
Hired to replace Koskela Toni Korkeakunnas immediately found himself in a treacherously dangerous place in his debut. The most important match of the season for the Helsinki club’s business was the second part of the Larne match in Belfast.
Korkeakunnas changed no less than five players compared to last week’s home game. The coach didn’t shy away from hard decisions either: for example, the goalkeeper who kept a clean sheet in the opening half was put on the bench Jesse Östwhile the Greek acquisition with little playing time Georgios Kanellopoulos got to the opening.
The top of the former Huuhkajat was also significant Joona Toivion end of kennel treatment. Badly disappointed in the opening part Lucas Lingman was allowed to continue in the center of the midfield.
Korkeakunnas certainly began to doubt their own judgment when Toivio and the goalkeeper Dejan Iliev fumbled the ball Andy Ryan’s on. However, the Scottish striker was so surprised by his position that he couldn’t get the ball into the empty net.
However, the blue-and-whites’ appearance was clearly more active than Koskela’s at the end of the season. In particular, Korkeakunnas had emphasized the speed of the attacking game. HJK was no longer stuck with the ball, but it was played quickly from the flanks with powerful running up Topi Keskinen through.
Keskinen played a key role in the 26th minute, when he fought for the ball for his team and tried to pass it For Anthony Olusanya into the box. Olusanya, however, had a wish for a penalty in his mind after a rather gentle tackle.
Fortunately for the club, the ball rolled to the one who ran into the situation from behind To Tomas Ollila. Pakki didn’t hesitate at all in the act and scored the opening goal from the front corner.
At the same time, the Club’s lead in total goals increased to 2–0.
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Overtime
Korkeakunnas was equipped for the evening at the Solitude stadium with a white cap, Klubi hoodie and shorts. He would have slipped into the tiny guest stand without any problems.
He changed the goalkeeper again during the break, but probably the reason was Iliev’s blow to the head. Thus, Öst, who returned between the posts, got the opportunity to prove his worth to the new head coach.
Öst seemed to be doing just that at the just over hour mark when he stretched out for a ghost fight By Lee Bonis from the butt. Greek judge Aristotelis Diamantopoulos however, was called in front of the VAR screen, and he saw in the situation Jukka Raitalan manual error.
Bonis surely placed the following kicker in the net.
The hosts naturally got a bigger gear from the equalizer. Korkeakunnas did not bring more defensive strength to the field, and it could backfire, because in the 87th minute Joe Thomson was unlawfully free of Thomas Cosgrove when the concentration drops to the raunchy area.
Since the total goals were equal 2-2 after 90 minutes, it went to extra time in Belfast.
Risk solved
Korkeakunnas gathered his team in a familiar huddle from Yankee football, when Larne’s players were already ready to continue the fight.
The head coach’s idea was certainly to destabilize the momentum of the host team. The plan worked, because the balance of power was much more even in overtime.
The match finally turned for the Club in the 97th minute, when a substitute player Atomu Tanaka a quick insight sent Pyry Soir to the end with the ball. This time the Larne defenders had lead in their legs.
No one had time to prevent Soir’s turn in front of the goal, from which Roope Risk guided the ball by the topper Shaun Wantin through to the back corner.
HJK’s performance may not deserve cheers, but there are more important metrics in result sports. Korkeakunnas Klubi seems more willing than its predecessor, even though it got Larne unnecessarily close to the next place.
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After realizing the risk, the hosts could no longer get into the goal-scoring sector. Of course, history could also play a role in that: it was the first Euro extension in the club’s history, and it inevitably started to weigh on the legs.
HJK continues to the second round of Champions League qualification with 3–2 on aggregate. It will continue right next week, when the Club will measure the level of the Norwegian champion Molde.